greg3

Thanks! I really enjoyed researching the story behind the hut and finding out about all the little details. The Antarctic Heritage Trust website and app is a great resource for the various surviving huts and artefacts. I've got more Antarctic builds to come!

This build was inspired by Antarctica's oldest building, Borchgrevink's Hut. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The Inspiration On February 17th 1899, Norwegian explorer Carsten Borchgrevink and 9 men landed at Cape Adare on the coast of Antarctica. Representing a British funded enterprise known as the Southern Cross Expedition (after the name of their ship), their aim was to carry out scientific observations, investigate possible exploitable resources and find and map routes inland (perhaps even as far as the pole itself!). The expedition were the first to use dog sleds in Antarctica and although they found their route inland blocked by mountains, they traveled further South than anyone had ever been before. They were also the first people to spend a winter in Antarctica, living in a prefabricated hut they erected on the beach at Cape Adare. Incredibly, this hut (and a second one that held stores) still survive today. Despite being over 100 years old, the living hut and its contents are especially well preserved and provided the inspiration for this build. Sadly, one member of the expedition died of illness in Antarctica but the rest of the men returned to England in June 1900. Unfortunately, despite their achievements, the Southern Cross expedition was often overlooked in favour of later expeditions and explorers (Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton etc). However it's now recognised that the work of Borchgrevink and his men paved the way for these more famous journeys. The Build The model features many elements seen in the real building. Strings represent the cables that hold down the roof (in the real hut they are attached to ship's anchors dug into the ground). The struts on one side were designed to be be covered to extend the roof down to the ground to deflect wind over the hut. Beside the building are stacks of supply crates and equipment, a British Union Flag and also space for the sledge and dogs. The removable roof allows access to the detailed interior which features an entrance space with 2 doors to minimize heat loss. There's also a photography darkroom, storage area and the main living space with 8 bunks, dinning table and stove. Well stocked shelves line the walls and each bunk can fit a minifigure (as long as they don't have a big hats/hair!) I've also included a couple of little "Easter eggs" as nods to some of the things that happened during the expedition (The paint palette/brush is inspired by the artistic expedition member whose artwork can still be seen on the wall near his bunk, and the candle, by an incident when the hut nearly burnt down one night!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I've also included 4 minifigures, 2 penguins plus a chick (in reality there should be at least a million more penguins!) and plenty of accessories including: skis, snowshoes, a rifle, cooking utensils, a compass, a sextant, Primus stove and brickbuilt camera/tripod. Finally there's a fully loaded supply sledge with dog team (7 dogs) which can be placed on a separate display stand. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I've always been interested in the history of exploration and found the story of this small insignificant looking building, and the men who lived in it, fascinating. (I suppose a modern equivalent would be a base on The Moon or Mars!). I eventually hope to get around to building the supply hut (need to restock on my supply of dark tan masonry bricks first though!). For anyone interested, I've posted this to LEGO Ideas so any support/shares would be greatly appreciated! Thanks LEGO IDEAS Submission page

Loving the look of the Endurance glad to see it's nowhere near Titanic price!! (especially as I have a bit of a thing for Polar Exploration!) A definite day 1 purchase for me. The GWP is interesting to see as I've built a MOC of the same boat... think mine's better though, but then I'm biased! https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/199088-the-james-caird-moc/

Thanks for the comments (and adding the link... wasn't sure if that was allowed!) Cheers!

Finally got around to finishing this off.... it now has an interior which can be accessed by removing the deck or either side to create a "cutaway" effect. Also redesigned the rudder, added a display base and some name stickers. Finally I decided to post it to LEGO Ideas so any support would be very welcome! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Thanks for looking!

Typical…. You spend ages working on a MOC as part of a larger LEGO Ideas submission, and just as you get done, leaks appear suggesting LEGO are releasing the same set as a GWP later in the year! I mean, what are the chances!? Anyway for what it’s worth here’s a few pics of my version of The James Caird. Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrIn 1914, Ernest Shackleton led an expedition to attempt to cross Antarctica. Unfortunately his ship, Endurance, was crushed in the ice leaving the 28-man expedition stranded on a remote island. To get help, Shackleton and 5 of the men set off on an 800 mile journey across some of the world’s stormiest seas in the James Caird, a 22ft lifeboat.Before setting off they did their best to modify the open topped boat by adding extra ballast, masts/sails and a deck made of packing cases and waterproofed with oil paints and seal blood!After 17 days, they finally reached an inhabited island and a rescue mission was launched to recover the rest of the men. The skill of the 6 men and the toughness of the James Caird itself have made this one of the greatest small boat journeys of all time. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrMy build is based on photos and descriptions of the boat and features: positionable brickbuilt sails, a cockpit with space for 2 minifigs and a removable deck that allows access to an interior space (which will eventually feature supplies and space for a minifig to lie down)Obviously I’m going have to rethink my plans to submit the MOC to LEGO Ideas if the GWP rumors turn out to be true but it’ll still be interesting to see LEGO’s take on the subject. (And I have other Antarctic exploration themed MOCs on the go!)

It's been a while since I posted on EB but now I'm back starting with some recent sci-fi inspired builds. These MOCs are inspired by artwork from the book "Spacecraft 2000-2100AD" written by Stewart Cowley. The book was published in 1978 and was one of a series of "Terran Trade Authority Handbooks". It featured a number of Sci-Fi artworks by different artists (many of the images would feature on book/album covers). These unrelated images were linked together by the book's narrative which told a fictional "history" of a war pitting Earth (the Terrans) and their allies from Alpha Centauri against the inhabitants of Proxima Centauri. As a kid I loved this book and often tried to recreate the scenes using my LEGO. Now 40-odd years later and I'm still doing it! Hopefully I've got a bit better at it!First is the K13 Shark, from an image by Angus McKie. According to the book it was a Proximan mid-range interceptor which first appeared in 2056 and had an advanced hydrogen plasma drive system. It was lightly armoured but fast and manoeuvrable and was fitted with hydrogen collectors projecting back from each wing to extend its range.It was armed with 2 laserguns and 1 nuclear pellet gun and had an advanced navigation system (part of which was the prominent fin that gave it its codename). Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrNext is a K7 Piranha (based on artwork by Tony Roberts). This was a Proximan, single seat, atmospheric fighter which took part in the Invasion of Mars in 2052, operating from warp-equipped carriers. They also played a major role in defending the Proximan homeworlds later in the war. Armed with a single laser gun, particle accelerator or nuclear pellet gun, Piranhas were small, fast and manoeuvrable, often using their superior numbers to overwhelm their targets. After the war, many surviving Piranhas were stripped of their weapons and converted to private civilian use. IMG_6484 by g.nat, on Flickr IMG_6481 by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Finally it's the ACM 115 "Minnow". Based on artwork by Colin Hay, it was an Alpha Centauri ship designed as a long range interceptor/scoutship. it had a crew of 2 and was armed with various laserguns (this late war version also has a shield generator mounted on the upper hull). IMG_6542 by g.nat, on Flickr IMG_6541 by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I'm hoping to get around to making more of these but for now the free instructions for these 3 are on my Rebrickable page. Rebrickable Link

That's the one it's based on... minus the "authentic Viking smells"!

Even the most fearsome Viking warrior needs to take a break from raiding, pillaging, fighting and feasting in order to answer the call of nature…. and where better to do this than in the peace and privacy of the Viking Privy! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr“Protected from the worst of the elements but with plenty of ventilation, the facility incorporates a gravity operated waste transportation system leading to a subterranean storage facility. A comfortable seat and absorbent, biodegradable plant based wipes to deal with any “mess” complete the customer experience.” Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrThis build actually began as an experiment in fence designs for a historical themed MOC I have planned. I’ve previously used flex tube to create the woven hurdle type texture but these flexible hoses are far easier to use and look much better. The idea for turning it into a toilet come from a reconstruction of a Viking toilet I saw online and I thought why not? Some pics of it with custom Viking figures from United Bricks Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Instructions for the toilet are now on my Rebrickable page Rebrickable Link Thanks for looking!!

It's a while since I've posted on here but thought I'd share this. Not sure if this is the right theme for this MOC but it is a boat and it is from the 18th Century so I hope it's OK! The Turtle was a one man submarine/submersible used during the American Revolutionary War. While not the first submarine in history, it is believed to be the first used to attack an enemy ship and the first to bring together many features used in modern submarines. I've always been fascinated by this craft ever since seeing it in a book as a kid. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr American inventor David Bushnell had developed a type of underwater mine with a delayed action clockwork fuse and needed a way of attaching it to enemy ships. His solution was the Turtle - named after the shape of its wooden hull. It had 2 hand cranked propellers to provide horizontal and vertical movement. Buoyancy was controlled by flooding part of the vessel with water that could then be pumped back out. To surface in an emergency, a weight on the bottom could be released. A small conning tower with windows allowed the pilot to see where he was going while surfaced and 2 snorkel tubes provided fresh air. Once submerged, the Turtle held enough air for around 20 minutes. A rudder provided directional control and inside there was a compass and depth gauge for navigation. These were illuminated using a luminescent fungus called “fox fire” The craft carried a mine which could be attached to the hull of the target vessel using a hand cranked drill. Once released from the Turtle, a clockwork mechanism set off the explosives after a preset time allowing the turtle to escape. On Sep 6th 1775, the Turtle set off to attack the British ship HMS Eagle, the flagship of the forces attacking New York. Piloted by Ezra Lee (a last minute stand in after Bushnell’s own brother had fallen ill) the Turtle succeeded in getting under the Eagle’s stern but couldn’t attach the mine to its hull. (Probably due to the metal fixtures of the rudder) As Lee tried to manoeuvre into a better position, the Turtle was spotted and, running out of air, he had to abort. Pursued by British rowboats, Lee released the mine which detonated a short time later without causing any damage but allowing the Turtle to escape. Over the next few weeks, the Turtle attacked 2 more ships but without success and was finally lost when the ship it was being transported on was sunk. The build itself is based on written accounts from the time as there seems no modern agreement on what it actually looked like! (In fact some sources claim that it was a propaganda stunt and never used!) I think there's enough evidence to say that it probably was used (modern working reconstructions have shown that the technology would have worked). It does make a great MOC project though and I think it looks pretty good! Comments are always welcome.... thanks for looking!

That is so cool! Definitely has the feel of the castle sets of the 80's and I love the wizard hut! Nice work!

01 = 1 point 03 = 2 points

01 = 2 points 02 = 1 point

This is my MOC of the GAU-90, a fictional weapon featured in the Avatar movies. I built it after treating myself to LEGO set 75571 (Thanator vs AMP Suit) and deciding the AMP suit needed a bit more firepower! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrAccording to behind-the-scenes movie references, the GAU-90 is a 30mm auto cannon designed to be used by the RDA’s AMP suit operators. It can fire high explosive, armour piercing or incendiary rounds at a rate of 250 rounds per minute. It also has an under barrel bayonet for close quarter combat. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr I wanted my version it to look like something LEGO could (should?) have made to accompany the set so I made the gun able to clip into the hands. I also added a stand to store the gun/ammo drum when not in use. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrThe build went together pretty quickly using the parts I had available and I think it came out looking OK (Although I do need to improve the bayonet attachment as it’s a bit wobbly!) I’m really liking the official LEGO Avatar sets and might look at doing more Avatar themed MOCs in the future. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Thanks for looking.

Using just non-powered hand tools and her own imagination, the "Ice Maiden" (name inspired by her favourite heavy metal band) turns blocks of ice into works of art. Today she's entertaining the crowds at the Winter Village Festival by creating an Ice Castle before their very eyes. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr This is my first EB post for some time so I thought I'd ease myself back in with a little festive competition build. The 6x6 limit made it quite a challenge but I managed to fit in the sculptor, the partly created ice castle (a little tribute to what I think was 2022's best Lego set the Lion Knight's Castle!), her tool bag, tools and a coffee cup (to keep her going and to collect tips from the audience when she's finished!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Thanks for looking and enjoy what's left of the holidays!

I have and they seemed quite impressed… (they’d just held a LEGO minifig treasure hunt across several of their sites and are looking to do more LEGO themed things) I’ve emailed some pics of more of my local builds to them waiting to hear back from them… fingers crossed!

That's Castle Rushen (one of the best preserved Medieval castles in Europe... one day I'd like to recreate that in Lego too!) As for The Peggy, I've recently had a tour of the warehouse where she's undergoing conservation and learnt loads about her former owner and took a few photos of the boat ... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Guns Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Original 200 year old decoration!! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Masts and spars Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr

Here are some links: Wikipedia Entry Info on Peggy’s Conservation and History National Historic Ships UK Entry Plans I used these to help with the build… hope you find them interesting! Cheers

Thanks for the comments... glad you like it! It is actually minifig scale - assuming my maths is right!!! (aimed for 1 stud = 1 ft) The real life vessel is only 27ft long, which I think makes its survival after 200 years all the more surprising!! The masts and sails are best guesses based on plans of the boat I found online that were made in the 50's following its rediscovery. One day I'd like to try and do the full hull w/keel, rudder etc but there are lots of tricky curves and angles to get to grips with! (in the meantime I'm looking at using the hull design as the basis for a Congreve Rocket Launching boat!! (or maybe a Victorian Lifeboat)

Thanks for the support!! (I think the submission might benefit from some better photos... don't think the current ones are the best) Yep, that's the real life one you've linked to. There's more info here Peggy Link The hull is really sturdy in fact the boat could be called swooshable (especially without the sails... they are a bit heavy to be waving around! I do have plans to use the technique again (I plan on a different colour scheme and I have ideas for other vessels!) so I might create a bit of a tutorial or at least some pics of how it all fits together!

 Hi It's been a while since I've posted anything on EB but thought I'd share the latest version of my 18th century Armed Yacht "Peggy". I posted the first version a while back but have since completely redesigned it. It's inspired by a real life vessel which still still survives here on the Isle of Man... IMG_2384 by g.nat, on Flickr The History Bit The Peggy was built in 1789 for a prominent local businessman and politician, George Quayle, and was originally designed as a small pleasure vessel and racing yacht. As well as 6 oar-ports and a schooner rigged sail plan, she was one of the first vessels to be fitted with sliding keels. These 3 keels could be raised or lowered depending on the conditions to maximise speed and stability. In 1796, Quayle sailed the Peggy over to England, transported her overland, and took part in a regatta on Lake Windermere with great success. During an eventful return journey, he survived a storm thanks to Peggy's sturdy design. In 1802, the Peggy underwent some modifications which saw the sides raised, the oar ports filled in and the sliding keels and associated mechanisms removed. This made the vessel a pure sailing boat, more seaworthy and able to carry a small amount of cargo or passengers. She was also armed with 6 light swivel guns and 2 larger stern chaser cannons. Some people have suggested these changes imply that Quayle was involved in smuggling! (especially as he had a private dock and boat house cellar built into his house!). Although as Quayle was also an officer in the local defence force, and this was at the height of the Napoleonic wars, the armament might have been to provide protection from French privateers. When George Quayle died in 1835, the Peggy was simply bricked up in her boat cellar and forgotten about. Then in 1935, she was rediscovered still in excellent condition along with her masts, spars, guns and even the original sliding keels. In the 1940s/50s Quayle's house became a Nautical Museum with the Peggy in her boat cellar as the centrepiece. The Peggy is currently registered as part of the UK's National Historic Fleet as she is considered to be the oldest surviving schooner rigged vessel, the oldest vessel to have sliding keels and one of the best preserved examples of a non-military 18th century craft. In 2015 the increasing risk of flooding and gradually deteriorating condition of the boat saw the Peggy moved from her home of over 200 years. She was taken to a temperature and humidity controlled facility where modern technology will be used to fully examine and record her structure and stabilise and restore any damage. She is due to return to public view in 2025 but for now, you can view her in LEGO form! Without Sails IMG_2382 by g.nat, on Flickr With Sails IMG_2425 by g.nat, on Flickr Some Close Ups IMG_2415 by g.nat, on Flickr IMG_2412 by g.nat, on Flickr IMG_2409 by g.nat, on Flickr The Crew IMG_2423 by g.nat, on Flickr In Action IMG_2419 by g.nat, on Flickr IMG_2420 by g.nat, on Flickr The Whole Build IMG_2407 by g.nat, on Flickr I'm pretty pleased with how she's ended up but at some point I'll probably redo the colour scheme - this is how she's looked since becoming a museum exhibit (recent research has uncovered her original paint schemes... white and green with a red interior and then all dark tan after 1802) Anyway, I thought I'd put her up on LEGO IDEAS IDEAS link and see what happens!! Any support/comments would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks for looking! SUPPORT NOW 

Hi In recent months, I've started getting back into stargazing and thought I'd see if I could make a working telescope out of LEGO... and this is the result! Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Inside the telescope, 2 minifigure magnifying glasses create a magnified and inverted image just like the real thing (just not with quite the same range!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrThe build also includes a section of “night sky” to explore. This includes a number of celestial bodies, both brick built - including a giant “space turtle” (a nod to the Discworld books) and a lost astronaut (perhaps he's looking for a Spaceship, spaceship SPACESHIP!!!) and some using actual images of astronomical objects (my favourite is Mimas… one of Saturn’s moons that looks like the Death Star “That’s no space station… it’s a moon!”) Untitled by g.nat, on FlickrSo far the MOC has proved a big hit with the children I teach and so I've also decided to post it LEGO Ideas as I think this’d make a nice official LEGO set ( it's great to look at/play with, it's educational and hopefully can inspire people to look at and learn about the actual night sky!) Any support would be greatly appreciated... thanks! https://ideas.lego.com/projects/b1f84187-f371-414a-8f17-9509ed428eec

Interestingly, comments like this about changes in the real Isle of Man are always popping up in the local media and online forums (and to be honest I often agree with them as I love my history!)... anyway it just goes to show that Ballabreek does mirror real life! Hopefully this week's update will be a bit less "controversial" Today it's the town park that's had a bit of a revamp... new paths/pavements and a good clean! (as part the original layout, some pieces have been there for over 10 years!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The layout of the park has stayed the same but I have relocated the War Memorial here (This was actually it's original spot before it was moved to near the church). Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr This has meant moving the "Ballabreek Bricks" sculpture/fountain. The iconic golden bricks symbolise the towns past - referencing the town's gold mine and its name which means "place of the brick" in Manx. (it was the first local settlement to have buildings made of brick rather than stone). Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The fountain takes the place of the sensory garden (which was only ever going to be temporary) and is surrounded by wildflowers part of the town's latest project... BallaBee. To find out more, the news crew are interviewing the president of the town's Beekeeper Association... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr He explains that the aim of the project is to boost the numbers of bees and other pollenating insects in the area by planting a large variety of wild "bee friendly" plants in public spaces. The project will also involve the placing of rooftop beehives on a number of buildings. The first "trail hives" are top of the local grocery shop (which hopes to sell the honey produced by the hives.) but it's hoped that more businesses and homeowners can "bee" persuaded to join the project. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The idea of the "BallaBee Project" was inspired by parts of my local town that have been left to become bee friendly areas. I also wanted to find a use for some of the latest CMF figures (the Ladybird Girl will make an appearance at some point too as the project extends to replacing chemical pesticides with natural predators). Anyway, thanks as always for looking and feel free to comment on what you think of the changes!!

Today sees the opening of Ballabreek's new skate park.. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Sponsored by the healthy sports drink company "Vita Rush", the park will provide a space for townspeople to show off their tricks and skills using skateboards, bikes, scooters, skates and wheelchairs. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr As always, the news team are there to cover the event. Here they're interviewing a spokesperson from the drinks company about why such a facility is so important to the local community. As well as giving predominantly young people somewhere to go, the ramps etc are removable so the area can be set up for as a roller/ice rink or used for music performances and other community events. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr So as you can tell I got the new skate park set and thought it'd fit in perfectly where the church used to be (I've been meaning to get rid of the church for ages as it didn't really fit in with all the other buildings which are modded official sets or have a local theme. It was also too small/cramped to be playable). I also wanted to see the new road parts in person... sadly I was not impressed! They might be ok for starting a new town but to replace all my road baseplates would cost a fortune and there's no curves! One thing I have decided to do is to replace all the old light grey pavements with light blueish grey parts. The old parts are starting to look pretty mucky and I also want to simplify the connections between baseplates to make disassembling the town easier. So far I've just done the immediate area of the skate park but will eventually get the whole town done. Here you can see where the old 9the steps) and new meet... and where the war memorial stood (don't worry - it's just being moved!). I'm hoping to create a ramp to allow wheelchair using minifigs to access the promenade walkway. Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Thanks for looking... comments are welcome!

Well that's been an interesting few weeks!! After 7 months of normality, we were put into a strict 3 week lockdown due to a Covid outbreak at new year. So a combination of having to work from home at very short notice, no local LEGO shopping, very slow delivery from Shop at Home and the fact I'd disassembled the town ready for its first public display (due for next weekend but now sadly postponed to October!) has meant no updates for a while. Fortunately the lockdown has worked and life is back to normal (in real life at least) although Ballabreek is still being put back together but that hasn't stopped its Chinese community celebrating Chinese New Year with a small parade through the town... (luckily my Story of Nian set arrived just in time!) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The centrepiece of the parade is a giant animatronic Nian (a legendary beast that is said to have once terrorised Chinese villages) Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr According to the legend it was scared away by loud noises, light and red banners so the parade includes people setting off firecrackers and banging pans and cymbals to create noise... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr They also hand out red envelopes containing money... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr The parade ends with a fireworks display... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Of course the whole event is being covered by the local news crew... Untitled by g.nat, on Flickr Anyway, thanks for looking. As always comments are very welcome.... (Hopefully I'll get the rest of the town put back together soon... perhaps with a few changes!!) Well spotted... let's say he was underwater (he had actually fallen down the side of the desk!!)